


When my heart finds Christmas

by mermaiddragon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Advent, Advent Calendar, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Falling In Love, Fluff, Getting Together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-07
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-11 17:48:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12940494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mermaiddragon/pseuds/mermaiddragon
Summary: It's Eighth year and Harry and Draco have been sharing a dorm and becoming friends. On the 1st of December, Draco makes a shocking discovery : Harry has never celebrated Christmas as much as he did ! He needs to fix that by all means necessary.





	1. Tinsel

**Author's Note:**

> Why am I posting a new story ? Who knows ? No, really I know why : christmas makes me happy, darry makes me happy so let me just write about stuff that makes me happy.

-Harry ! Harry, wake up !

Harry groans and tries to swat away the hand shaking his shoulder.

-Harry, come on !

\- It's Saturday, Draco, fuck off.

His roomate usually let him sleep as much as he wants so Harry has to admit he's a little bit intrigued.

\- But it's Christmas !

\- Christmas ? Have I been asleep all month ?

He sits up and rubs his eyes.

\- No, no, no it's just the first of december. Christmas time !

Glasses are forced into this hand. He puts them on and blinks. The expression on Draco's face is one he's never seen before: it's childish glee and he's not exactly jumping up and down, but you can say that he's keeping himself from doing it. So it's more like a contained trepidation. There's a sad peg in Harry's chest and he wishes his friend would just let go. In the three months they've spent sharing a room at Hogwarts, he's never seen him like this. And before eighth year they never really shared any moments worth being excited over. Harry gets up and walks to the loo. When he comes back, Draco is opening several boxes of who knows what.

\- So why are you so excited ?

Harry can see the words forming on Draco's lips, the instinctive “Malfoys don't do this or that” but he catches himself.

\- Well it's Christmas, why aren't  _ you _ excited ? Do you...not celebrate Christmas ?

\- I do, but on the 24 th and 25 th . Hogwarts isn't even decorated yet and it's the only place I've ever celebrated it at.

\- Why ?

\- Why what ?

\- Why only at Hogwarts ?

Both boys are now rummaging through their closets, picking clothes to wear for the day. Not facing each other makes it easier for Harry to say certain things with a calm voice.

\- Well, I told you about my childhood. Christmases were as crappy as the rest of it.

\- What... How did it usually went ?

\- I cleaned and cooked things I wasn't allowed to eat. Served dinner on Christmas Eve and then was sent to my cupboard with a treacle tart. I love treacle tarts.

\- And on Christmas day ?

\- Served breakfast, received Vernon's old socks as a present, made lunch and dinner.

\- His old socks ?

\- Yeah.

\- Gross.

They are now dressed and ready to go to the Great Hall for breakfast. They don't say anything for a while and then Draco asks :

\- But you still like Christmas ?

\- Yeah, especially here, it's magical.

\- Don't you wish it would last longer ? Or rather, start sooner ?

\- How would you do that ?

\- Well, in my book it starts today. With advent calendars for a start. You've never had an advent calendar, haven't you ?

\- Nope.

\- Is it okay if I decorate our dorm ? That's what I usually do on the 1 st of december. I have been receiving decorations all week and completely forgot to ask you.

\- So that's what all these boxes were ! Yeah, sure, go for it.

\- You're going to Hogsmeade today, right ? Maybe when you're back we could decorate together ?

\- Sure.

\- Great !

Draco smiles and it's such a genuinely happy smile, Harry almost trips. Luckily, it's the last step of the stairs so it doesn't fall. The Great Hall looks as it always does since the beginning of term. Each table has the four banners of each house hanging above it. Everyone is sitting wherever they want. As he has done for every morning for a while now Draco sits with Harry, Ron and Hermione to have breakfast.

\- Hi Draco. Did Harry fall off his bed ? asked Hermione.

\- I woke him up.

\- Rude, said Ron.

\- I for one thank you, Draco, if we didn't push them around, none of these boys would ever do anything. Just sleep all the time and be late to outings.

Draco smiles and asks :

\- When do you plan on being back, you think ?

\- Early afternoon, probably ? I am the only one shopping today so we'll be done quickly. Why ?

\- Planning something, aswers Draco.

He has this mischievous smile they have seen so many time at their expenses but there is no malice in his eyes this time.

\- Planning what ? Asks Ron, feeling a little bit suspicious.

Mostly he's friendly with Draco and has forgiven him for all their childhood stupidity. But he's still very protective of Harry and he's wary of any secrets.

\- Christmas stuff. I just... I love Christmas.

A faint blush colours Draco's cheeks. He's not used yet to talk sincerely about what he likes or doesn't like, not used to talk about who he is.

\- That's nice, comments Hermione.

 

When Harry comes back from Hogsmeade, the dorm looks like a christmas shop exploded in there. There are garlands, baubles and trinkets on his bed, on Draco's bed and even on his desk. Draco's desk on the other hand, is somehow covered with owls. Just, lots of owls standing there, hooting quite angrily but standing still everywhere on the desk. Harry doesn't know if he wants to ask about the decorations or the owls. The decorations he expected them to be in the room but maybe not strewn on his bed like Draco had shaken madly the boxes on top of every surface he could find while waiting for him. The owls... He really has no explanation for the owls. He turns to his roommate, a question on his lips. The blonde man has tinsel on his blue sweater and glitter on his hands and face. Harry hears himself thinking it's cute and wonders whether he spends too much time around Hermione and Ron, always going on about how their loved one is cute.

\- Do you have owl treats ?

\- What ?

\- Owl treats, do you have any ? I ran out and none of these owls will leave without having one. Spoiled birds.

\- Uh yeah, sure.

Harry walks to his own desk and hands Draco a box of treats. He watches him feeding each owl, opening the window. The owls leave in a perfect line, happily hooting.

\- So...

\- I had to order last-minute stuff. I did not receive everything yet so it will be a bit incomplete for now but there's enough for the first days. I still have platinum accounts in many shops so I could get deliveries in a day but I didn’t think that I hadn't bought owl treats in a while...

\- What will be incomplete ?

\- Hm ? Oh, your advent calendar, I made you one.

\- You made me a calendar ?

\- Well, I wanted you to enjoy Christmas right now... We talked about that, didn't we ?

\- Yeah but...

\- Don’t muggles make advent calendars ?

\- No, they buy them.

\- Oh. Well, wizards buy the empty box and add things in it. So I made you one. Here.

Draco hands him a large golden box, the size of a shoebox but a bit larger and in a square-shape. There are twenty-four little windows on it written in a nice calligraphy.

\- Do I open it right now ?

\- It _is_ the 1 st of december so you can open that window, yes. You do know how this works, right ?

\- I'm not an idiot, Draco.

Harry props the box on his desk and proceeds to carefully open the small cardboard flap. Inside is what looks like a miniature tea mug. He seizes the mini-handle and as soon as it's out of the box it starts growing until reaching a normal mug size.

\- Oh ! Thanks Draco, I'll finally stop stealing glasses from the kitchens to drink here !

The inside of the mug is a nice enamelled light blue. The outside is black with a white inscription that reads : “Don't talk to me before morning tea”. Harry smiles because he knows he does tend to only express himself in groans before breakfast.

\- So, shall we decorate or was your plan to just drop everything everywhere and have us sleep in baubles for the rest of the month ?

\- Of course not. I was trying to plan where to put what. I used to have a theme for my room at home and one for my dorm and I changed  themes quite often... So I have lots of things that don't all go together... What do you think we should do ?

In the end, Draco's in charge of putting up the garlands while Harry takes care of the baubles and trinkets. The final result is somewhat messy but it's the more comfy and homey their dorm has looked since the beginning of term. Draco had a very-well defined colour scheme for his garlands : there is golden and red above and around Harry's bed, green and silver above his. Then there's white and blue between the beds, black and pink near the window, bronze and purple on the far side of the room. There also are strings of wooden stars, pine cones, felt reinders and felt firs hanging from the walls. Harry did try to group the baubles and trinkets by type or colour so there's a group of small bears hanging near his desk and groups of reinders on their bedside tables. But then it got out of hand, so there are mismatched baubles pretty much everywhere, with little santas near stars, snowflakes, sleighs... It still looks like a christmas shop exploded but at least the room is pretty and they can still use it, including their beds.

They look at each other with childish glee in their smiles. It's probably the most carefree they've felt in months. Draco has even more tinsel and glitter on him and Harry probably does too. And he still thinks it's cute. He wonders if he should say something and instead asks :

\- It's dinner time, right ?

\- Indeed it is, smiles Draco, let's go.


	2. Rainbow

On Sunday, both boys sleep until late. They savour the sleep being both plagued by nightmares quite often. It's been better for a while, thanks to time and their nightly talks. It's one of the first things they bonded over.

They wake up around noon. They don't get up just yet. Harry listens to Draco breathing and watches the streaks of sunlight of the floor. He only gets out of bed because his stomach starts growling. While they dress up Harry asks 

\- Who made your calendar ?

\- Hm ? Oh my mom did. She sent me all sorts of things from France. Yesterday it was a lavender-scented Marseille's soap. Today it's calissons d'Aix, a french type of candy. Have you checked yours today ?

Harry hasn't - he wanted to wait but he can see Draco's eager to see his reaction. So he walks up to his desk, barefoot and shirt unbuttoned and opens the second box. This time he doesn't have to reach into it, the item just slowly flies out. And then another, and another. The colourful woolen items keep flying and growing out of the calendar. They form a floating circle and even perform a little dance before softly landing on his desk. Harry takes one if them and examines it. They turn out to be brand new socks, carefully folded in their packages. All the colours of the rainbow seem to be there. Some pairs have little drawings like reindeers, flowers, unicorns and even hippogriffs. Some are light and made of cotton, others of cashmere and a few pairs are heavy and fluffy with written “indoor socks” on the package.

\- I'm more partial to black socks, starts Draco, but I thought you would enjoy a more...joyous look.

\- Thanks Draco, I really love it, answers Harry, while putting on pink new cashmere socks.

They are wonderfully warm, have no holes and are incredibly soft. He thinks of all the grey frayed shapeless itchy socks lying in his wardrobe that he's finally going to throw away.

\- There are eighteen pairs of them, adds his roommate. One for each year you received garbage socks. I was a bit afraid you'd think it was in poor taste...

\- No, it's perfect ! I really needed these and I'm very glad that they'll replace my garbage socks.

To be honest, Harry is actually looking forward to try on the indoor socks. They seem so comfy. The boys finish dressing up and go to the Great Hall for lunch. Here they find Ron, eating cottage pie in peace.

\- Hi Ron. Is Hermione already in the library ? asks Harry

\- Yeah, she's polishing up her essays. She might win that bet of yours, top of the year to the final exams, he says to Draco.

\- No way. I finished my essays yesterday while waiting for Harry and I'll enter the week well rested and that's how I'll be top of the year.

Ron smirks. Draco and Hermione have been really competitive about their academic results but it's an healthy competition, they both try their best and don't sabotage the other.

\- What about you, asks Draco, neither of you has homework to do today ?

\- Hermione had me do mine this morning but I have way less than her so I'm done for the day.

\- I have one potions essay to finalize and then I'll be done. Could you help me with it, Draco ?

The Slytherin agrees and Ron shoots Harry a significant look. Well, it must be significant to him but Harry has no idea what it's supposed to mean. So he raises his eyebrows to ask for clarification and Ron just shakes his head. Well.

\- Maybe we could go fly afterwards, asks Draco. We could have a quidditch match with snowballs.

\- So a snowfight, comments Harry.

\- In the air. With brooms.

\- But without a snitch. So, a snowfight.

\- Do you have a point here, Harry, or are you agreeing ?

\- Oh I'm in, I was just getting a rise out of you.

Draco huffs and stabs angrily his pie. His amused half-smile tells another story, though.

\- Are you joining us, Ron ?

\- Sure, I'll probably be napping in my dorm, wake me up when you're done with the essay.

He winks at Harry and Harry stares at him blankly. What is his friend alluding to ? Ron rolls his eyes.

The afternoon goes as planned, and Harry forgets about Ron's strange eyes movements. After their snowball or snow quidditch or just goof around on brooms, the three of them meet in Harry and Draco's dorm. Harry puts on his indoor socks and they're a marvel to wear, especially after being in the cold for several hours. They have tea thanks to Draco's own kettle and chat a bit before dinner. That night, as always after physical exercice, Harry falls easily into a dreamless sleep, the kind that makes him feel well-rested. He's even looking forwards to the next day, thanks to the calendar.  


	3. Warmth

\- What’s that ?

It’s Monday and Hermione is in Harry and Draco’s dorm, helping the former with his Charms essay. This year, Harry has realized that actually asking for help from several people for his homework is far more effective than putting off the tasks until last minute and then copying off Hermione’s work. When Ron had been over after the flying snowfight, he had had the decency to not comment on the calendar. Hermione is a too curious person to be discrete.

\- A magical advent calendar. Draco made it.

\- Really ? I thought it was only traditional for parents to make it for their kids.

\- I didn’t even know it existed before Saturday.

\- Now that I think of it, the only other person who has one made by a non-relative is Ginny. Luna made her one.

\- See ? Maybe making it for friends is more common than you thought.

\- Harry, Ginny and Luna have been dating for two months.

\- Really ? Why did no one told me anything ?

\- Because they’ve been  kissing and sitting practically on top of each other all the time, everywhere.

\- Oh. I hadn’t noticed.

Hermione’s smile is both fond and sad and it makes Harry want to throw a pillow at her. So he does just that.

\- Come on Hermione, I’m not like… not noticing these things because I’m deep in thoughts of the war and being depressed. Stop being sorry for me.

\- Actually I was thinking that if you had been raised by normal people you’d be better at social cues and interactions.

\- Oh.

He doesn’t say anything because he knows she’s right. Living in a cupboard is not the best way to learn how to read people. Although, because of what happened outside of the cupboard, he’s trained to read anger and about-to-beak and about-to-hit moods.

\- So, what were the first gifts ?

\- Today hot cocoa mix and this week-end a mug and eighteen pair of socks. Look !

Harry shows her proudly  the indoor socks he had left in his nightstand drawer and proceeds to slip them on. They are heavy and fluffy, electric blue with white pompoms and snowflakes.

\- Why eighteen ?

\- One for every year the Dursleys offered me Vernon’s old socks for Christmas. And really ? You ask about the amount but not why socks ?

\- You really needed socks. Badly.

\- True… It really is a nice present. Even though he miscalculated. I spent my first Christmas with my parents when I was a  few months old and the Dursleys didn’t send me anything last year. But I really love that present.

Harry blushes a little on that last sentence and he doesn’t really know why.

\- So… You two are pretty close now, aren’t you ?

Harry blushes harder and he’s starting to understand why.

\- What do you mean ?

\- Putting together an advent calendar, that’s a lot of work, you know. He must care for you a lot.

\- I don’t know… I think he was bugged I wasn’t as excited for Christmas as he was.

\- Really ?

\- When he woke me up on Saturday morning he was keeping himself from jumping up and down.

\- Draco Malfoy ? Jumping ?

\- It was reined in, but yeah. It was cute.

Something colliding with the other side of the door can be heard but they assume it’s someone being clumsy and don’t pay it any mind. Hermione is smiling fondly at him again and Harry wants to rolls his eyes at her. Instead he asks :

\- Do you want to try the hot cocoa mix ? I haven’t yet and Draco told me I could use his heating set-up.

At the beginning of the year, his roommate had set up some kind of heating stove that was a mason jar in which a magic fire could be lit, a tripod and a hob. He had expected his year to be very lonely and had brought these things, a pan, a plate and cutlery in case he was bullied into not eating in the Great Hall. He had not expected his schoolmates to be too focused on rebuilding and unity. He had not expected that Harry Potter would offer him his hand to shake and his friendship. They had talked about it one sleepless night and Harry had wanted to hug the other boy and promise him he would never be alone again. Instead, he had said he was glad things had turned out this way. Hermione enters back the dorm, sparkling mug in hand.

\- What do you say we go back to that essay now that we have hot chocolate ?

Harry agrees and they go back to work.


	4. Lion

The rest of the week flys by. As usual, the teachers are drowning them in homework and making their classes more intense before the holiday break. Some of them even give them assignments for the beginning of classes in January, to complete during the holidays. It's after one of them does that one evening Harry goes back to his dorm, flops on his bed and give a loud groan of frustration into his pillow.

\- Did you have a long day ? asks Draco

\- Too much homework, answers Harry, muffled by his pillow.

\- Do you need help ?

\- I'm afraid you can't help with this one.

Harry rolls on his back and turns his head toward his roommate, who's working at his desk. The muggle studies professor had set up a new course this year, especially crafted for their working life after Hogwarts. It was called the shop class and covered how to open and manage a class both in the muggle and wizarding world. It was much closer to what Harry wanted to do with his life even though he was still unsure about what exactly he wanted to do. He had suspected during the summer after the war that he was too tired to keep saving the world. As time passed, he had realized that the Ministry was getting better at its job. Competent aurors were recruited or promoted, death eaters and their followers were arrested and prosecuted. He was offered a trial period of a month in the Auror department, no training required, and still went, to make sure. He quitted after a week. There was no need for Harry. He could stop fighting. He had died once for peace and now he wanted to savor it. He very much didn't want to live with the stress of risking his life every day, of constant fighting, of fearing for his colleagues. He didn't want his future job to be about uncovering new atrocities. He wanted to do something that made people feel better, something that would fill him and other people with happiness. Something peaceful. Opening some kind of shop seemed a good way to do that so he had enrolled to that class, on top of all the classes he was attending for his NEWTS.

\- Professor Perkins wants us to have a shop project ready for January. And then we'll work on them all last semester. It will be our final exam.

\- And I take it you haven't the faintest idea of what kind of shop you'd like to open ?

\- Yeah.

\- Why don't you pick one that exists in the muggle world ?

\- Professor Perkins teaches muggle studies, Draco, he would recognize it.

\- No, I don't mean something like cheating. I mean... Muggles have lots of shops that we don't, you could adapt one of them for wizards and it would work, people would come. I mean, of course, you could even buy an empty place, sit there and make people pay to see you and that would work too. But most wizards have no idea what's going on outside of Diagon Alley so any new thing would delight them.

\- How did you become so wise ? asks Harry, half-joking

\- I spent all summer reading about muggles. Hermione sent me books. Lots of them. Newspapers, too, answers Draco very seriously.

\- And what you chose to read about was… shops ?

\- I also read a lot about animals. Non-magical ones. They’re fascinating. Did you know that elephants live in a matriarchy ? And that we don’t know how cats purr ?

Harry smiles but doesn’t say anything. He wants to ask why Draco didn’t get to zoos or muggle shops but remembers he was on house arrest all summer. Both boys stay silent for a moment. Draco keeps doing his homework and Harry keeps staring at his four-post bed ceiling.

\- Have you opened your calendar today ?

Draco has had to remind Harry of the calendar almost every day this week. Harry remembers it only when he’s sitting at his desk, looking for something to distract him from his homework. And he’s been doing it in the library or in the common room a lot these days. So far, Draco’s got him an assortment of teas in a neat black box now sitting on his desk, a wooden enchanted dragon that sings christmas carols and a treacle-tart scented candle. To make room for his new knicknacks, Harry’s had to tidy up his desk, which he hadn’t done in...never. Parchment, ink bottles and quills are now all sitting in designated drawers and his books are piled up on the shelf atop the desk. He has to admit that knowing exactly where his books are does help getting ready in the morning.

The first thing he sees in today’s box is fluffy hair. He grabs the thing and he pulls it out. Just like the other presents it starts growing as soon as it’s out of the box. The fluffy thing turns out to be a plush lion.

\- I got it from a muggle shop ! announces Draco. It’s called the, uh… WWF ? Do you know it ?

\- Yeah, it’s a big ngo, they save animals.

\- Well they had this big range of plushies, all very beautiful. I didn’t know what animals you likr so I got a lion… I could have bought it from Flourish and Blotts but this one is way prettier.

\- Flourish and Blotts sell plushies ?

\- They’re kinda the only one to sell things to kids… Illustrated books and plushies. Card games too. And there was Zonko and now there’s Weasley Wizard’s Wheezes. And the broom shops have small brooms for kids.

\- Are there no… toy shops in the wizard world ?

\- No, not really…

\- Hm…

\- So...did my gift saved your assignment ?

\- You hadn’t planned it, hadn’t you ?

\- You’re overestimating me, Harry, I couldn’t possibly know what your teacher was going to assign you. But did it help you, though ?

\- It might have... I’ll be eternally generous Draco Malfoy, is that what you wanted to hear ?

\- Yes, you’re welcome.

With a smile Harry sits at his desk, plush lion on his lap, and starts on his homework. After a while he asks :

\- How did you even got a muggle toy without leaving Hogwarts ? The WWF doesn’t deliver by owl, do they ?

\- They don’t but my friends outside Hogwarts do.

\- Oh… So...what, Pansy Parkinson or Blaise Zabini went to a WWF shop ? In the muggle world ?

\- Yeah, so ?

\- Nothing they just...have come a long way.

\- We all did, Harry.


	5. Rufus

Saturday is a day for sleeping. Harry keeps telling that to his brain but it’s no use. He woke up at 8 after a nightmare and he’s feeling too scared to go back to sleep. Which irritates him and irritation does not help sleeping. He gives up at 9. He dresses up and gathers his things in the dark, doing his best to not wake up Draco. 

There’s no one in the common room yet but it’s bound to be very noisy at some point during the morning. So Harry heads to the Great Hall to have breakfast and then to the library. Here he finds Hermione, already working.

\- Harry ! What are you doing here ?

\- Homework. You know I do that now.

\- Yes, but… 

She stares at him and stops. 

\- But what ? 

\- Nothing. 

He can see she wants to say something but is keeping herself from it. After a while she asks :

\- So...what was your gift today ? Another plushie ? 

She’s trying to sound as if she had just only thought of that and was simply curious. Harry narrows his eyes at her and answers:

\- I don’t know yet, Draco was asleep. I thought best to wait in case it would be another small dragon singing Silent Night as it sprung out of the calendar.

\- That’s probably best yeah.

\- Hermione… what do you know about today’s gift ?

\- Nothing !

\- Hermione Jean Granger I did not die for my friends to lie to my face.

\- Don’t you think you’ve brought up your death enough times already, Harry ?

\- I died ! 

He almost shouts and Madam Pince give him a warning look. 

\- So. The gift. What do you know ? 

\- I told you, nothing.

\- I don’t believe you.

\- Fine.

 

After lunch Harry goes back to his dorm either to take a nap or change books and get back to studying. Unlike Ron, Harry doesn’t like naps that much. He loves sleeping in but he always feel like he wasted time after a nap. Draco is sitting on his bed, fully dressed, reading a book. The winter sun pouring through one of the windows enlights him just right, shining on his hair, shirt, book. Draco greets him and then Harry realizes he’s wearing muggle clothes. A suit but still a muggle suit. He doesn’t really know what to say about this outfit so he just goes up to his own desk. He then spots the calendar and remembers Hermione’s strange attitude. Today’s box contains a small scroll of glittery silver paper. The inside is grey with glitter on the borders and there’s written “Coupon for a pet”.

\- What ? 

\- Did you have anything planned for today ? If you haven’t, I’m taking you to an animal shelter. 

\- You’re buying me...a pet ?

\- Yes I thought you’d love one. But I’d rather you pick it and take the decision yourself, I don’t want to force an animal on you. And I thought maybe a muggle animal shelter would be okay, because you might not want an owl yet and I’ve never been to an animal shelter so…

Harry’s still staring at him and not saying anything so Draco keeps rambling :

\- I consulted with Hermione but maybe this was still a terrible idea, maybe you’re not ready for a pet yet, give me the coupon, I’ll change it to something else, I should have thought more about it…

\- No ! No it’s an excellent idea ! It’s just… It’s really sweet.

Harry feels his cheeks reddening and hides by ruffling his hair. He misses Draco blushing too and coughing to hide it.

\- So...are we going ?

\- Yeah, of course ! Thank you, it’s a really great idea.

 

They go to Hogsmeade by foot, enjoying the walk in the snow. Harry realizes he’s never been anywhere out of Hogwarts with just Draco. It feels a bit weird and he blushes again thinking about it. They go to the Three Broomsticks where, as Eighth Year Students, they’re allowed to use the floo. On the other side of the fireplace there’s a wizard pub in Aberdeen. They take the bus, under Harry’s supervision. 

The shelter is a bit stuffy and smells, unsurprisingly, like animals. The cat area also smells a bit of litter. Lots of cats want to cuddle with them but Harry doesn’t feel a connection with any of the felines. There are a few turtles and snakes in a special room. Draco coos over the turtles and confesses he’d like someday to have a house with a big garden so he could have turtles. He then asks to show off his Parseltongue skills and Harry rolls his eyes but something in him is screaming to impress the other boy. So he engages in a conversation with a snake that tells him he’s been thrown in a toilet because he grew too much and now hopes he’ll get a better owner. After that, they go to the dog area. They’re quickly surrounded by barks, muzzles and wagging tails. They play a bit with all of them and Harry loves to see Draco smile and laugh so freely. One of the dogs stand out, pushing or licking Harry’s hand to get pets, standing on its back legs to place his paws on Harry’s chest, following him through the room. He’s a yellow lab and they learn he’s called Rufus, failed eye-seeing guide dog school and was taken him by a family who ultimately couldn’t take care of him anymore. The simple thought of leaving him behind breaks Harry’s heart.

\- Draco ? Do you think MacGonagall would yell at me a lot if I were to bring a dog back to Hogwarts ?

\- First of all, she would never scream at you, second you could probably get away with a pet dragon if you said it made The Boy Who Lived Twice feel better and third… the pet rules were changed, beginning this year. There are a few forbidden pets like giant things or dragons but you can have anything. Including dogs.

\- What about transport ? Can we take a dog in the floo ?

\- I brought an enchanted bag and learned a sleeping spell. I came prepared.

So they walk out of the shelter, followed by a very excited yellow lab. They buy a leash and harness in a nearby animal store as well as kibble, dog toys and a dog bed. Or rather, Draco buys it while the cashier flashes curious looks at them. She finishes bagging their items and :

\- Merry Holidays ! Have a great date !

They both blush furiously but neither of them comments. They make their way back to Hogwarts talking about Rufus and how he’s probably going to chew on everything they leave outside. While they walk back from Hogsmeade, sleepy dog still in his enchanted bag, Harry reflects that if this had been a date, it would have been a very good one.


	6. Nostalgia

On Sunday Harry wakes up cuddling with a big dog, clutching his fluffy hair in his hand. It feels good makes him a bit sad and nostalgic. It’s only at the end of breakfast that he realizes the images his brain have been providing him since he woke up were of sleeping with a black dog. A dog that he knew. 

\- I think I used to nap cuddling with Padfoot when I was a kid, Harry announces to no one in particular.

\- Did you just remember that ? asks Ron

\- Sleeping with Rufus next to me brought it back yeah.

Ron nods, waiting for Harry to say something else if he wants to. But Harry already feels better having spoken it aloud. He still misses Sirius dearly but getting back this childhood memory feels good. 

Back in the common room, Rufus has already conquered all Eighth year students. Draco must have let the labrador out when leaving the dorm. You can see a trail of yellow dog hair on every person he’s been petted by. When Harry enters he jumps from his seat in front of the fire and welcomes him with loud barks. So he takes him back to the dorm to get his harness and leash. Right before leaving, he remembers his calendar. Which turns out to be lucky, since today’s gift is a knitted green cap. Perfect for a walk outside with an excited dog. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a short chapter but christmas is near...


	7. Departures

The following week is even more intense than the previous one. Harry is certain that he won’t get bored spending Christmas at Hogwarts. He’ll simply have too much to do to have a dull moment. 

 

On Monday he gets elegant black cashmere gloves, perfect for the temperature that is dropping every minute, it seems.    
On Tuesday, the present flies out of the box, a good idea since it’s cactus on which Harry would have pricked his fingers. Rufus barks at it. The dog barks at most magic, having probably never seen any before. 

  
On Wednesday, Harry gets a big box of chocolate frogs that he has to store in a drawer and magically lock to make sure his dog won’t gear near it. He’s had it for only four days but he already feels responsible for him and a little bit more peaceful, too. The dog unconditional love and perpetual excitement brings him so much joy he doesn’t understand why he didn’t get one sooner. Maybe because he had to get this one. Seeing Draco interact with Rufus also is a wonder. He has a soft expression that he only wears around animals, he seems happy and relaxed and that too brings joy to Harry.

 

Thursday is another practical gift: slippers for when the time doesn’t allow for indoor socks. He has to store them in his trunk to make sure the lab won’t chew them. Luckily, he visits Hagrid this day, who shows him how to transfigure stuff into chewing toys. He also gives him ropes that are good dog toys on their own. 

  
Friday’s gift was probably very expensive but Draco shrugs off any questions about it. Harry decides to just enjoy the fluffy towels and that he’ll gift Draco something equally expensive.    
Saturday follows with shower gels and shampoos that smell wonderfully and leave the skin soft. That day, everyone leaves for the holidays. Harry hugs all his friends, who ask him for the billionth time if he’d rather not celebrate with them. But he declines, he doesn’t feel ready yet to face the Weasley family without Fred being there. They need to heal together, to have that moment without him. As for the Grangers, they just got their memories back and they need to make new ones with their daughter. 

 

Harry had expected this Christmas to be lonely but thanks to Draco it didn’t feel that way. Rufus loud barks fill any room, the advent calendar makes him feel cared for and Draco… Draco is there. Smiling and laughing, singing carols and being always ready for tea or hot chocolate. The holidays will be filled with homework but more importantly, they will be filled with his presence. 


	8. Butterbeer

Harry’s holidays don’t go exactly as expected. He had thought he would spend them in the library, doing homework, eating in the Great Hall, going to bed, and then celebrating on christmas eve and christmas day. Except that he’s filled with christmas cheer all the time now, thanks to the calendar, that he has to walk his dog and that Draco has taken humming christmas carols almost all the time.

 

On mornings, he taps with his wand the enchanted wooden dragon on Harry’s desk to sing and dance his carol of the day. They have breakfast together, side by side, and their knees always brush. Only one table is set during the holidays, at which the remaining teachers and few students eat together. It’s bit cramped but less lonely that if everyone was scattered around the five tables. And Harry has to admit he loves being close to Draco.He’s less and less confused about what he feels and more and more worrying about what he should do about it. But he postpones it to after the holidays, wanting to relish them.

 

After breakfast, both boys walk the dog, running around in the snow, throwing sticks or holding the rope Rufus is biting, in a play of strength. They hit the library around mid-morning and help each other with their assignments. Some days, Harry could swear Draco’s feet are touching his own on purpose but he doesn’t dare hoping. They have a late lunch and work some more. Somehow they’re done with all of their homework around the middle of the week.

 

As for the advent calendar, Harry retrieves from it a shiny new school bag on Sunday (his old one is the same he got in first year and is begging to be relieved from its duties), luxury cologne on Monday, soft elegant pajamas on Tuesday and a coupon for shirts on Wednesday. Draco blushes a little and explains that Harry needs an entirely new wardrobe and that he should chose the clothes himself. And that’s how Harry receives a coupon for pants on Thursday and a brand new navy woolen coat on Friday. It’s wonderfully warm and Harry thinks he looks dashing in it. He still curses Draco a bit because he would have needed it sooner. They’ve spent the last days of the week flying or running around in the snow, playing with Rufus, throwing him sticks, chasing and racing each other. Around sundown, they’ve made their way back to the dorm to have tea or hot chocolate, sitting on one of their beds, huddled as close to each other as possible, covers drawn “because it’s cold Harry, can’t you see my feet are frozen ?” They spend the last part of the afternoons talking, have dinner in the Great Hall and spend the evening in the common room, reading or writing to their friends and family.

 

Saturday comes with a coupon for shoes and Draco asks if Harry really needs an explanation for this gift, pointing at his old sneakers with infinite sadness. Harry laughs and, once again, bites his lower lip to keep himself from saying how cute he thinks his friend is. They spend that day like the previous ones. Except that this time, for dinner, Harry asks if Draco would like to go have dinner with him at the Three Broomsticks, to celebrate Christmas Eve eve. The other man laughs and agrees with a fond look in his eyes. They come back from Hogsmeade giddy, dizzy and giggling, with butterbeers in their bags. They drink them sitting on Harry’s bed. No blankets cover their feet this time and Harry can’t help but wonder if  Draco’s touching his feet on purpose with his own. He certainly looks like it. The blonde man is resting his head on Harry’s shoulder and talking about animals. He’s very passionate about nifflers and he’s in the middle of a speech about them when it escapes Harry’s lips :

 

-You’re cute.

-What ?

 

They stare at each other and Harry takes another sip of butterbeer for bravery. He says it again and adds a little peck on Draco’s cheek to...punctuate it or maybe just because he’s felt like it for a long time. Both boys blush but none of them sees it because Draco turned his face just so that his lips are on Harry’s and somehow they’re now kissing. They feel warm and filled with happiness and it’s not just the beer nor the christmas spirit. They fall asleep in each other’s arms after many kisses.


	9. The blessed dawn of Christmas day

On Christmas Eve Harry receives a teapot. He’s a bit sad that it’s the end of advent but that passes as soon as two arms embrace him and Draco nuzzles him. 

 

-Hello. Slept well ?

-These beds are barely big enough for one person, least alone for two.

-Always complaining...

-I wasn’t done !

-Yes ?

-Those beds are small but sleeping in your arms made up for it.

 

Harry feels himself blushing and has no idea what to answer. Instead he asks :

 

-Why a teapot ? 

-To make tea. For your friends. In your new home. 

-Oh. Thanks !

 

During the summer, Harry hired a lawyer to help him find a buy back his grandparents home. His father had sold it after their death, probably to make it look like he didn’t care for it and to spare it any pillaging from Voldemort’s followers. Harry owned the house since october but had been there only once. He planned to have his friends over on New Year’s. There was nothing there that could be damaged in a party since he hadn’t bought any furniture yet. The teapot would probably be the first piece of china the house would see. 

 

Their morning walk with Rufus is a bit more peaceful than the previous days. Except that they end up a lot more behind trees and greenhouses to kiss. The dog thinks they’re playing hide and seek and keeps interrupting them with enthusiasts barks. 

 

As usual, Christmas Eve dinner is held in the Great Hall. Crackers are cracked, food is eaten, and some hands are held. They have fun and Harry is as happy as he could ever be. He has trouble believing things are going so well, after everything that’s happened. After dinner they end up in Draco’s bed, both full of food and merriness. As they’re about to fall asleep, Draco mumbles :

-Hey Harry ?

-Hm ?

-We’re dating, now, right ?

-What else would we be doing ?

-Being… kissing buddies ?

-I’d rather be boyfriends, if you don’t mind.

-Great ! Happy Christmas, boyfriend.

 

On Christmas day, they wake up late. Harry thinks he’s never woke up so late as this month. His mood and general mental health has been improving a lot these past weeks and he’s thankful. The nightmares haven’t been plaguing him in a long time. He loves sleeping so much and could get used to it very quickly. He also could get used to waking up next to Draco. The sun is shining on them through the windows, since they forgot to draw the curtains. Harry plays with Draco’s hair for a few minutes before his roommate wakes up and smiles at him. An open, carefree, happy smile that Harry has to kiss right away.

 

They open presents sipping tea they made from Harry’s assortment.    
Harry gets a new Christmas sweater that he slips on right away, as usual. Hermione has offered him a walkman with a few tapes of muggle music. All the Weasley siblings have sent him a box of homemade truffles and Ron added a Chudley Cannons postcard and a bouncing ball for Rufus. The dog rolls himself in the wrapping paper chasing the ball.    
Draco has received a selection of french clothes from his mother and a parcel from Harry that he opens carefully. It contains a box full of several items he frowns at.

 

-Harry, what is… Why is there written “London” on all of this… Are these underground tickets and...a leaflet for the Zoo ? Are you...are we… ?

-You’ve never been to muggle London so I thought I would take you. On Easter Holidays. What do you think ?

-How long have you been planning that ?

-A few weeks… Hermione helped. 

-Wow… That’s a wonderful idea, Harry !

 

He gets up to hug and kiss him. They stay like this a moment and then Draco says :

-Oh right, your present… I’m not sure it’s as good as a trip but I hope you’ll like it anyway…

-Draco you’ve been gifting me wonderful things all month. And not trinkets, but real useful beautiful stuff, it  _ is _ as good as a trip !

-Shut up and open it already, answers a blushing Draco.

 

Inside silvery wrapping paper is folded a blanket made of squares of wool. It’s colorful, thick and warm. Harry wraps himself in it and pecks his boyfriend on the lips.

 

-It’s perfect Draco, thank you.

-One thing you should know is that it’s made of remnants of balls of wool Molly Weasley used for her family sweaters. I wrote her asking if she had any the first day of december and as it turned out, she had them lying around for a long time without doing anything with them. So I had enchanted needles knitting squares of wool in my wardrobe all month. And then sewing everything together.

 

Harry doesn’t answer right away. He’s teary-eyed and feels all fuzzy inside. It’s probably the more thoughtful gift he’s ever had, after Molly’s sweaters. He opens his arms and hugs Draco, dragging him inside the blanket. They hug for a long time, until their stomach growl with hunger. As they make their way to the Great Hall, Harry reflect that this has been one of his best Christmas if not the best one. He can’t wait to see the next ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to write the part where Harry has his friends over at his new house but I couldn't add it to the story... So this will be followed by a short piece about New Year's Eve ! Merry Christmas to whoever reads this :)


End file.
